Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Lenora lunges across the table, sailing over top of me, causing the person who had grabbed me to let

go. I hear growling and snarling as she fights with the person. At the same time, Ashley grabs me by

the wrist and pulls me away from the scuffle. She runs into the bathroom and locks the door.

“Kas, are you okay?" Ashley holds both sides of my face, Come on, Kas, answer me, please.”

I feel myself looking at her, but I feel numb. Like my mind is separating from my body. There is a high

pitched hum taking over my hearing. Even Lex is trying to call me but she sounds so far away. I can't

feel her like I usually do.

Ashley is patting my face. I see her talking to me, but I can't hear her anymore. All I hear is the steady

high pitched hum. My body starts shivering i n fear. I need to calm down. Lenora and Ashley are going

to make sure I’m safe. I try to breathe but there's no air. - Lenora's face comes into view. I see her

mouth moving but all I hear is the humming. Oh no! She has a busted lip.

How did that happen? I reach up and touch where it's cracked open and bleeding. There is a split

second of purple light just as the world turns black. I hear Bronx calling my name in the darkness. He's

so far away. I don't know how I'll ever get to where he is. I call out his name so he knows where I am.

The more I call him, the closer he sounds.

“Kas, can you hear me? Are you there?" Lex calls out. I reach out and I can feel _ her spirit.

"I'm here, Lex. Thank Goddess I found you!”

“Kas, it's time to come out of this darkness. Bronx needs you to go to him.

He's scared. Come on, follow me. We'll d o this together. Call for him again so he can find us," I start

calling out his name louder until I can feel Bronx very close.

My eyes open and find I’m in his arms at the packhouse.

“Bronx? How did I get here? I was at the mall, then I got lost in darkness. I could hear you. Lex found

me and led me back, " T try to put my thoughts in order.

“Oh Kas! Thank the Goddess. Why do you keep scaring me like that?" he tucks a piece of hair behind

my ear and presses his forehead against mine, then pulls back so he can look at me again.

“What happened?" I ask, confused, " How did I get back here?” Lenora and Ashley burst into the room

crying and talking at the same time. I reassure them I'm fine and they calm down. Once they collect

themselves, they explain everything that happened at the mall.

Ryan tried to attack me but Lenora was able to fight him off. Mall security spooked him and he ran off.

Lenora didn't come away unscathed, Ryan is an Alpha after all. She had a broken wrist and lost three

of her teeth in the fight.

She refused medical treatment and ran t o find Ashley and me.

“Kas, my wolf was healing me but it was you. You did it," She looks at me with teary eyes, "Why didn't

you tell us you're a healer?”

“What?" I sit up taller. Now I'm confused and surprised.

“As soon as you touched me, I healed almost instantly. You didn't pass out until you touched me. It was

like it sucked all your energy out. Even my teeth pulled back into their sockets. There was a purple light

coming from your fingertips and everything," she explains with wide eyes.

“T didn't know," I shake my head in disbelief, "I've never healed anyone in m y life. I've burned a couple

of people with my hands, but never on purpose.” All three of them look at me like I havea second nose.

“Oh, right, I wanted to talk to you when we got back from the mall," I say to Bronx seriously, "I've never

shifted before and Elexis keeps telling me she needs me to, so she can be at her full strength. She

doesn't seem to be able to tell what that means, though.”

“Hold up, hold up. Can we rewind to where you burned people...with your hands?" Lenora asks,

disbelieving what she just heard.

“Wait, you've been seventeen for almost three months and you've never shifted? '' Ashley asks at the

same time.

I shake my head answering Ashley first, "When I was at Silver Moon, we decided it was best for Lex to

stay hidden, but I accidentally burned Ryan. That was before Lex fully woke up. I burned Sam the

accountant, after she was awake. I mean, their wolves were able to heal them, but it happened.”

Lenora and Ashley look at me like I just told them I'm the queen of England.

“What? It was an accident. My hands started glowing purple and the next thing I know, they had burns.

I couldn't help it," I justify to the wide eyed girls.

"Oh no no no. Don't get it twisted. I burned Sam on purpose. He broke your nose!" Lex growls. I decide

it's best not t o announce that.

“The only other time I remember glowing is when Bronx hugged me for the first time, but it didn't burn

him. That time my whole body glowed, it made him glow too," I continue to explain my unusual glowing

power. 7 Now Bronx is looking at me the way girls are. He blinks a couple of times and clears his

throat.

“TI was glowing?" He looks wary. He sets me down on the couch and starts pacing.

“In the morning, we all meet in my office and the six of us can make arrangements for Kas to shift

safely. Lenora said your birthday was on summer solstice, so there have been a few full moons

already. Depending on what we find, I don't see why we can't let you shift even if it isn't a full moon like

most new wolves do," Bronx says with a smile.

“Thank you," I smile back gratefully, feeling a sense of relief.

“Also, with your unique physical features and the powers your wolf seems to have, I think we need to

do some research to figure out what is going on here before you shift. Clearly, you're special and not

just because you're my mate," Bronx says with a smile as he squeezes my hand, "I want t o make sure

we know what we're getting into beforehand. Make sure you and Lex are getting the support you need.”

“Research?" My ears perk up. I feel very excited now, "Do you have a library here?”

“Yeah, we have a pack library and I have a private library behind my office," he says nonchalantly. Like

a private library comes with everyone's home.

“Can-can I help with the research?" I ask sheepishly, trying to hide my excitement.

Bronx laughs, "Baby with that twinkle in your eye, how could I possibly stop you?”

He looks up at Lenora and Ashley, " Ladies, can you give us some privacy, please? I need to speak to

my mate.” They nod and quietly leave the room. I get the feeling they already know what he wants to

talk to me about. Bronx sets me down and leads me over to the sofa.

“Ts everything alright, Bronx?”

“Yeah, Baby. I want to run something by you," his tone is serious.

“Okay," I sit down on the sofa next to him and he takes my hands in his.

“Kas, I think it would be a good idea if you talked to a therapist about all the stuff you've been

through...cause, honestly, it's a lot. I want the best for you and I think having someone to talk to that

can help you work through all those traumatic things would help you. Lots of my warriors see therapists

for alot less, there's no shame in it," I look him in the eye as I try to absorb his words. :

“Now, that doesn't mean you can't talk to me about the things that you've been through. I'm happy to

listen and I would be honored for you to trust me with any amount of it, but I can't give you advice on

how to deal with it as the doctors can.

We have some of the best therapists in the northwest right here in our hospital. It's your choice. I don't

want to pressure you to do anything you don’t want to do. I just want you to know your options.” I think

about it for a minute, "Yeah. I think I would like that. I feel like a lot of the time, Lex takes on a lot of my

burden. It's not fair to her. Also, the passing out at the drop of a hat thing is getting kind of old.”

“Good. I'll arrange your first appointment. You can work with the clinic to set up any additional

appointments you want," he smiles. I can sense he feels relieved.

We sit quietly on the sofa for a few minutes holding hands. I guess if we are being honest, now is a

good time to talk to him about what's on my mind.

“Bronx, there is something I want to tell you," I confess, "but please don't be mad, okay? And if you

think less of me or if you find that it is too much for you and you want me to leave, I will understand.

Just say the word.”

“Baby, there's nothing you could say that would make me think less of you," he looks at me with his

eyebrows knit tightly.

“So, it's about Ryan," I feel the familiar lump of tears in my throat, I swallow it down. I pull my hands out

of his into my lap and look down at them, "Well, a-a couple of days before you came to Silver Moon, he

um, he attacked me.”

“What do you mean ‘attacked you'?" Bronx says with a growl in his voice, making me instinctively pull

back.

This is it. This is where he changes his mind and has me executed for being weak.

"I'm sorry, Baby. I'm not growling at you. My wolf, Saint is upset hearing another man touched you.

Please, tell me what happened," he reassures me as he smooths my hair.

I take a deep breath and speak as clearly as I can, still looking at my lap. I can't bear to look him in the

eye while I say it, ''H-he forced himself on me. Elexis couldn't protect me because he was my future

Alpha. She said she couldn't hurt him.” |

I wring my hands in my lap, "I wanted you to know sooner than later. If you don't want to be with me

because I'm not...pure anymore...I-I'll understand. I mean_- I just wanted to tell you now before we start

getting more attached to each other. So if you want, just say the word and I'll leave.” >

I look back up at him. I can't read the look on his face. He sighs deeply and rubs his hands on his face.

He stands up and starts pacing. His hands are flexing open and closed. His eye is flickering black then

green as he tries to control his wolf. Oh crap. That was the final straw. Is this the part where he tells me

to get the Hell out of his home or just drags me down to the dungeon until he decides the best way to

execute me? He finally stops and kneels in front of me. He takes a deep breath and takes my hands in

his, looking me straight in the eye. :

“Kas, you have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to fear. Thank you for sharing that with me.I don't

want to lose you because of what some asshole did to you without your permission. If anything,

knowing that happened to you...It makes me want to protect you even more," his words are so sincere.

I can tell he is telling the truth. I feel tears pricking the corners of my eyes as I wrap my arms around his

neck and give him the biggest hug I can muster. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into

his lap, making me feel the safest I have ever felt in my life. I swear I hear him sniffle as we hold each

other.